Whether traders or investors make money or not in the stock market, stock brokers always makes money. Stock brokers make money in both rising or falling markets.
In recent years, discount brokers have changed the stock broker landscape for the better. Discount brokers charge a fixed brokerage per trade irrespective of the trade volume which helps you to save decent money on your brokerage charges.
You might not feel the pinch of paying brokerage to a full-service broker in a single transaction. But if you look at the aggregate amount you pay to the broker over a number of transactions you will realize that you are probably paying a bomb.
If you are a frequent trader, you must choose a discount broker rather than a full-service broker.
Best discount brokers should be
- Trustworthy and reputed
- Charge low brokerage fee
- Provide advance charts and tools for technical analysis
- Provide the latest technology trading platform
Our top 3 picked dest discount brokers in India
Here is the list of best discount brokers in India 2023
- Zerodha – Best for every trader
- Upstox – Best alternative to Zerodha
- 5paisa – Best for only traders with no security holdings
- Wisdom Capital – Best for lifetime free account
- SAS Online – Best for lowest brokerage charges
- TradeSmart Online – Best for lowest percentage based brokerage
11 Best Discount Broker in India 2023
#1. Zerodha Demat Account (Top Discount Broker)
- Fix Rs. 20 per trade on intraday trades
- Zero brokerage on the stock delivery
- Good customer support
- Best charts and tools for technical analysis
Zerodha is the biggest discount broker in India having over 60 lakh customer base and the first broker to introduce fixed brokerage charges. Zerodha charges a fixed brokerage of Rs. 20 per trade for intraday and zero brokerage on delivery.
Zerodha is the first choice of most of the traders because of its trading platforms equipped with advanced charts and tools. You can integrate your Zerodha account with other tools like Sensibull, Streak and Smallcase.
You can expect great customer support from Zerodha starting from account opening and throughout your trading journey. With other discount brokers, you may face difficulty with their customer support.
Zerodha Brokerage Charges
| Type | Brokerage |
| Equity Delivery | Rs. 0 |
| Equity Intraday | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
| Equity Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
| Equity Options | Rs. 20 per executed order |
| Currency Futures & Options | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
| Commodity F&O | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
Zerodha Account Opening & Annual Charges
- Demat & trading account opening charges – Rs. 200
- Commodity account opening charges – Rs. 100
- Annual maintenance charges – Rs 300
Zerodha Margin
| Stock Market Segment | Margin |
| Equity Delivery | No Margin |
| Intraday Equity | Up to 5 times |
| Equity Futures | 40% of the normal margin (NRML) |
| Equity Options | No margin |
| Currency Futures | 40% of the normal margin (NRML) |
| Currency Options | No margin |
| Commodity | 40% of the normal margin (NRML) |
What I Liked
- Zero brokerage for delivery
- Low & fix brokerage irrespective of trade volume
- No minimum balance required to open the account.
- In-House trading platforms
What I Didn’t Like
- Frequent delays and service down during trading hours
- Cannot invest in IPO through Zerodha
#2. Upstox Demat Account (Fastest Discount Broker)
- Free account opening & Zero AMC
- Fix Rs. 20 per trade
- Fast account opening process
Upstox is one of the best discount brokers in India for traders who look for low brokerage, and good trading platforms.
You can trade with low brokerage charges of Rs 20 per trade.
What I like the most about Upstox, is its high-tech and advanced trading platforms. Upstox recently hit 10 lakh users and became the second-biggest discount broker after Zerodha.
Upstox Brokerage Charges
Upstox offers 0% brokerage on stock delivery
| Type | Brokerage |
| Equity Delivery | Lower of 2.5% or Rs 20 |
| Equity Intraday | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
| Equity Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
| Equity Options | Rs. 20 per executed order |
| Currency Futures & Options | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
| Commodity F&O | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% |
Upstox Account Opening & Charges
- Upstox account opening – Free
- Upstox AMC – Zero
What I Liked
- Zero brokerage charges for delivery
- Great trading platforms
- Fix & low brokerage irrespective of trade volume
- Upstox offers complete online account opening process
What I Didn’t Like
- You cannot invest in FPO and IPO through Upstox
#3. 5Paisa Discount Broker (Cheapest Discount Broker)
- Brokerage charges of Rs @0 per trade
- Zero brokerage on delivery (under Ultra Trader pack)
- Fastest account opening process
- Offers the best trading app that is easy to use
5Paisa is the cheapest discount broker in India that charges a flat brokerage fee of just Rs. 10/trade on smart investor and ultra trader plans.
5Paisa is best for traders who need access to an easy platform for trading or high volume trader who wants to save money on brokerage charges. 5paisa mobile trading app is the best mobile trading app so for.
The best thing about 5Paisa is its extremely fast and paperless account opening process. I was able to complete all the documentation within 15 minutes.
5Paisa Brokerage Charges Details
Zero brokerage on a stock delivery
5paisa offers 3 plans to customers based on their requirements. The brokerage charges are different for different plans.
Detailed 5 Paisa Charges
| Transaction | Regular Plan | Smart Investor | Ultra Trader |
| Stock Delivery | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Free |
| Stock Intraday Trading | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Rs. 10 per order |
| Stock Futures | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Rs. 10 per order |
| Stock Options | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 2 per lot | Rs. 2 per lot |
| Currency F&O Trades | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Rs. 10 per order |
5 Paisa brokerage charges under different plans are as under;
| Transaction | Optimum Plan | Smart Investor | Ultra Trader |
| Stock Delivery | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Free |
| Stock Intraday Trading | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Rs. 10 per order |
| Stock Futures | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Rs. 10 per order |
| Stock Options | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 2 per lot | Rs. 2 per lot |
| Currency F&O Trades | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 10 per order | Rs. 10 per order |
5Paisa Registration & Annual Charges
- Regular Plan – No plan charges
- Smart Investor – Rs. 599 per month
- Ultra Trader – Rs. 1199 per month
Demat annual maintenance charges for different plans are
- Regular Plan – Rs. 45 per traded month.
- Smart Investor – Free
- Ultra Trader – Free
What I Liked
- Paperless & fast account opening process
- Good customer care support
- Cheaper & fix brokerage charges (no complexity)
- Great trading platform
- 5Paisa offers complete online account opening process
What I Didn’t Like
- Trading by calling them over the phone is very costly – Rs. 100 per call.
- Some traders faced server issues in peak hours of trading
#4. Wisdom Capital Review
Wisdom Capital discount broker offers 3 different plans freedom plan, pro plan and ultimate plan to the investors. The plans are different on the basis of brokerage charges.
The freedom plan offers zero brokerage charges across all the segments but doesn’t provide a good margin.
The annual maintenance charges for all three accounts are the same.
Wisdom Capital Registration & Annual Charges
- Trading account opening charges – 0
- Demat account opening charges – 0
- Trading account AMC – 0
- Demat account AMC – Rs. 999
Wisdom Capital Brokerage Charges
| Brokerage Plan | Freedom Plan | Pro Plan | Ultimate Plan |
| Equities | Zero | 0.005% Intraday &Delivery | 0.007% Intraday &Delivery |
| Future | Zero | Rs. 9/trade | 0.005% |
| Options | Zero | Rs. 9/trade | Rs. 15/Lot |
| Commodity | Zero | Rs. 9/trade | 0.005% |
Call & Trade Charges at Rs. 20 per executed order
Wisdom Capital Margin
| Brokerage Plan | Freedom Plan |
| NSE Cash | Up to 5X |
| NSE Futures (MIS) | 1X |
| NSE Futures (Cover Order) | 1X |
| NSE Options | 1X |
| MCX (MIS) | 1X |
| MCX (Cover Order) | 1X |
| Deliver in NSE Cash | 1X |
What I Liked
- Multiple brokerage plans
- Low brokerage
What I Didn’t Liked
- Poor technology
- You cannot invest in IPO, FPO, Mutual Funds, FDs, NCDs and Offer For Sale (OFS)
- Higher Annual maintenance charges as compared to other discount brokers
#5. Samco Review
Samco discount broker is known for low brokerage charges and free trading products.
One unique feature of Samco is that you can take a loan against stocks and other financial products.
Samco is a member of BSE, NSE, MCX, MCX-SX & NCDEX and allows you to trade
- Equity
- Currency
- Commodity
- Bonds
- ETFs
Samco Brokerage Charges
| Segment | Brokerage |
| Equity Delivery | Lower of 0.2% or Rs. 20 per order |
| Equity Intraday | Lower of 0.02% or Rs. 20 per order |
| Equity Futures | Lower of 0.02% or Rs. 20 per order |
| Equity Options | Lower of 0.02% or Rs. 20 per order |
| Currency Futures | Lower of 0.02% or Rs. 20 per order |
| Currency Options | Lower of 0.02% or Rs. 20 per order |
Samco Registration & Annual Charges
- Trading account opening charges – 0
- Demat account opening charges – 0
- Trading account AMC – Rs. 400
- Demat account AMC – 0
What I Liked
- Low brokerage charges
- No account opening charges
What I Didn’t Like
- Low performing trading platform
- Average customer service
- Investment in IPO and mutual funds is not supported
#6. SAS Online Discount Broker Review
The USP of SAS Online discount broker is the low brokerage of Rs. 9 per trade for all segments. You can trade in Stocks (delivery), Intraday, Equity F&O, Currency F&O and Commodity futures.
SAS Online brokerage has a daily average turnover of Rs. 10,000 crores. The broking house processes 1 Lakh+ orders per day for clients spread across 750+ cities.
SAS Online Brokerage Charges
SAS Online charges a brokerage fee of Rs. 9 per trade for all stock market segments.
The intraday trades are charged at 0.01% or Rs 9 whichever is lower. For delivery trades, you need to pay 0.1% or Rs 9 whichever is lower.
Unlimited Monthly Plans
Apart from that, SAS Online has unlimited monthly plans as under:
| Segment | Monthly Charges |
| Unlimited trading in commodities – MCX Plan | Rs 999 |
| Trade unlimited across NSE Cash, BSE Cash and NSE F&O | Rs 999 |
| Unlimited trading in currency derivatives | Rs 499 |
SAS Online Registration & Annual Charge
| Particulars | Charges |
| Account Opening (Trading & Demat) | Rs 200 |
| Commodity Trading Account | Rs 200 |
| Annual Maintenance Charges for Trading Account | Rs. 0 |
| AMC for Demat Account | Rs. 200 |
But if you opt for offline account opening then SAS Online charges you Rs. 300 – to courier you the account opening form.
What I Liked
- Margin available against shares
- Rs. 9 per trade for all segments
- Monthly Unlimited Plans
What I Didn’t Like
- Additional, call & trade charges of Rs. 20 per executed order
- Rs. 200 charges for account opening
#7. Trade Jini
TradeJini Financial Services Ltd. is a Bengaluru based discount broker with a maximum brokerage of Rs. 20 per executed order.
The brokerage allows you to trade in NSE, BSE, MCX and MSEI. Apart from equity and derivatives one can trade/ invest in debt instruments, mutual funds and ETFs.
TradeJini Brokerage Charges
| Trading Segments | Brokerage Charges |
| Equity Delivery | Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.1% of turnover whichever is lower |
| Equity Intraday | Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% of turnover whichever is lower |
| Futures (Equity/ Currency/ Commodity) | Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.01% of turnover whichever is lower |
| Options (Equity/ Currency) | Rs. 20 per executed order |
For using the “Call & Trade” facility, TradeJini charges Rs. 20 per executed order.
TradeJini Registration & Annual Charges
| Particulars | Fees/ Charges |
| Trading & Demat Account Opening | Rs. 0 |
| Annual Maintenance Charges | Rs. 300 per year |
What I Liked
- Allows investment in mutual funds, bonds and ETFs
- Flash Platform that gets curated financial & market news
What I Didn’t Like
- Need to courier account opening form
- Rs. 20 charges for Intraday (MIS) positions squared RMS team
#8. TradingBells
TradingBells is a broking brand of Swastika Investment Ltd. with 80 branches and 600 franchises spread across India.
TradeBells also has a premium brokerage plan that is similar to a full-service stockbroking company.
TradingBells Brokerage Charges
| Trading Segment | Brokerage Charges | |
| Standard Plan | Premium Plan | |
| Equity Delivery | Zero | 0.30% |
| Equity Intraday | 0.01% or Rs. 20 per executed order whichever is lower | 0.03% |
| Equity Futures | 0.01% or Rs. 20 per executed order whichever is lower | 0.03% |
| Equity Options | Flat Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 30 per lot |
| Currency Futures | 0.01% or Rs. 20 per executed order whichever is lower | 0.03% |
| Currency Options | Flat Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 30 per lot |
| Commodity Futures | 0.01% or Rs. 20 per executed order whichever is lower | 0.03% |
| Commodity Options | Flat Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 30 per lot |
Call & Trade to cost Rs. 20 per executed order. RMS square off trades will also be treated as call & trade and charged at Rs. 20 per executed order.
TradingBells Registration & Annual Charges
| Particulars | Fees |
| Equity (trading + demat) and commodity account | Rs. 750 |
| Annual account maintenance charges | NIL |
What I Liked
- Rs. 0 delivery charges under the standard plan
- Rs. 0 AMC charges
- 22X leverage for equity intraday cover orders
What I Didn’t Like
- Rs. 750 account opening charges
- Auto square off on 80% margin erosion
#9. TradeSmart Online Discount Broker Review
TradeSmart Online charges one of the lowest brokerages of 7 paise for most of the segments if you trade less volumes.
TradeSmart Online is a discount broking venture of VNS Finance with over 20 years of business presence.
VNS itself is a full-service broking company.
TradeSmart Online Brokerage Charges
TradeSmart offers two brokerage plans:
- Value trading plan for less volume traders
- Power trading plan for big volume traders
You can choose anyone based on your trading preferences. The brokerage charged under both the plans are below:
| Trading Segment | Brokerage for Value Trading Plan | Brokerage for Power Trading Plan |
| Equity delivery | 0.07% | Rs. 15 per executed order |
| Equity Intraday | 0.007% | Rs. 15 per executed order |
| Equity Futures | 0.007% | Rs. 15 per executed order |
| Options | Rs. 7 per lot | Rs. 15 per executed order |
| Currency | 0.007% | Rs. 15 per executed order |
| Commodities | 0.007% | Rs. 15 per executed order |
The “Call and Trade” is charged at Rs 20 per executed order. TradeSmart charges Rs. 20 for MIS, CO, BO auto square off.
TradeSmart Online Registration & Annual Charges
| Particulars | Fees |
| Account Opening charges | Rs. 400 |
| Annual Maintenance charges | Rs. 300 |
My Opinion About TradeSmart Online
What I Liked
- Value trading and Power trading plans
- Low 7 paise brokerage for equity delivery
What I Didn’t Like
- Rs. 20 auto square off charges
- Rs. 400 account opening charges
#10. Trade Plus Review
Trade Plus is the online brand of Navia Markets Ltd. with more than 2 decades of broking business.
Apart from trading in equity and derivatives, you can invest in Direct Mutual Funds, ETFs, IPO and Bonds.
Trade Plus Brokerage Charges
| Trading Segment | Flat Zero brokerage Scheme | Flexi Brokerage Scheme |
| Equity Delivery | 0% | 0% |
| Equity Intraday | N.A. | Lower of Rs. 9 per traded order or 0.01% |
| Equity Futures | Rs. 799 per month | Rs. 9 per traded order |
| Equity Options | Rs. 99 per month | Rs. 9 per traded order |
| Currency Futures & Options | Rs. 99 per month | Rs. 9 per traded order |
| Commodity Future & Options | Rs. 99 per month | Rs. 9 per traded order |
The “Call & trade” are very high at a flat rate of Rs.75 per day, irrespective of the number of orders placed.
Trade Plus charges a monthly SMS charge of Rs.99 if you subscribe to Zero Brokerage monthly Plans.
Trade Plus Registration & Annual Charges
| Particulars | Fees |
| Trading Account Opening Fees | Rs. 200 |
| Demat Account Opening Fees | Rs. 0 |
| Annual maintenance charges | First Year: NILSecond Year onwards: Rs. 200 per annum ORUpfront 5 years AMC: Rs. 500Upfront 10 years AMC: Rs. 900 |
| Infini Trading Solutions trading platform fees | Rs. 499 per month ORRs. 2,999 per annum |
What I Liked
- Rs. 0 for delivery trades under both the plans
- Flexible AMC plans with Rs. 0 AMC for the first year
- Rs. 99 pm charge for currency & commodity trading under flat brokerage scheme
What I Didn’t Like
- Rs. 499 trading platform charges
- Rs. 75 charges for call and trade facility
- Rs. 75 charges for intraday position squared off by RMS team
#11. Master Trust (MyValue Trade) Review
My Value Trade is a discount broking brand/ arm of Master Trust Ltd.
Presently, the website for MyValue Trade is not available OR has been amalgamated with the Master Trust Ltd (that’s my guess). Any search for the website “My Value Trade” returns in a 404 Error.
All the details are found for Master Trust Ltd. So in the review, I have provided information for Master Trust Ltd.
Master Trust Brokerage Charges
Master Trust Ltd offers three plans:
- 20:20 brokerage plan – for Do it yourself investor
- Standard plan – for long term investor looking for value-added services
- My plan – traders at other brokerages looking at 25% off on their plan on joining Master Trust.
| Trading Segment | 20:20 plan | Standard Plan | My Plan |
| Equity/ Commodity Delivery | Free | 0.30% | 25% off |
| Equity Intraday | Rs. 20 per executed order | 0.03% | 25% off |
| Futures (equity, currency & commodity) | Rs. 20 per executed order | 0.03% | 25% off |
| Equity/ Commodity Options | Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 75 per lot | 25% off |
| Currency options | Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 10 per lot | 25% off |
Master Trust Registration & Annual Charges
| Particulars | 20:20 plan | Standard Plan | My Plan |
| Account Opening Charges | Rs. 100 | Rs. 100 | Rs. 100 |
| Demat AMC | Rs. 300 per annum | Free (on annual brokerage of Rs.1000) | Free (on annual brokerage of Rs.1000) |
What I Liked
- Every 5th executed order is free under 20:20 brokerage plan
- Ami Broker charting platform connectors
- 25% off from the existing brokerage under My plan
What I Didn’t Like
- Rs. 100 account opening charges
- Zero brokerage on equity delivery only on 20:20 plan
Conclusion
If you ask me, which is the best discount broker in India, I would suggest you to open an account with Zerodha.
Open an account with Upsotx if you are looking for an alternative to Zerodha.
If your priority is to pick a broker with the lowest brokerage, open an account with 5paisa.
it is very helpful blog for me. thanks for sharing.
Hi pradeed,
Is there any hidden charges in SAS ONLINE brokerage when we choose monthly plan for @999.
Roughly i will take 25 trades a week , can u suggest a good broker to reduce charges.
waiting for ur reply.
sunil varma
You need to pay other charges like STT, GST, SEBI Fees, and stamp duty even with Rs. 0 brokerage charges under the 999 per month plan.
I recommend Zerodha for all over better service from a discount broker. You can open a Zerodha account from here.
You need to pay other charges like STT, GST, SEBI Fees and stamp duty even with Rs. 0 brokerage charges under the 999 per month plan.
I recommend Zerodha for all over better service from a discount broker. You can open a Zerodha account from here.
UPSTOX is useless and Bogus Broker They directly close your Tickets raised without having any conversaton with the member.
They should be fined and asked to close the Broking Business.
All are free to call me to understand the useless chor
I also heard similar stories of bad customer support provided by discount brokers
We have to compromise a little when we expect a company to provide very cheap services.
I agree they should have improved the service. But if you want to experience good service then get a Demat account with full-service broker. Of course they will charge you more on brokerage.
5 paisa web version is technologically not upto the mark.
Definitely, but 5paisa mobile app is good.
You forgot a very good and important broker – Finvasia.
Check out their platform and let me know.
Thanks for suggesting. I will do detailed research about the broker.
Hi Pradeep,
I am NRI ( Canadian of indian origin) and would like to open demat & trading accounts with better and reasonable online brokerage in India for Indian stocks and trading. After Karvy episode and termination as a depositor, We have been asked to transfer the account ASAP.
What is your suggestion?
Thanks
Gurdev Saini, Toronto, Canada
Hello Gurdev,
The choice of demat & trading account depends on your investment/ trading needs.
Discount brokers like Zerodha, 5Paisa and Upstox are low-cost brokers that charge a flat Rs. 20 per trade. They are a better option if you do your own research and do not require stock tips, research or any other services.
Full-services brokers like IIFL Securities, ICICI Direct, Motilal Oswal charge a percentage brokerage (up to 0.55%) of the transaction value that are very high. But you have access to their research reports, stock recommendations and other services like PMS, insurance & loans products.
Thanks for suggesting. I will do a detailed research about the broker.