Both Zerodha and Upstox (RKVS) are the most preferred discount brokers in India with zero delivery charges and a low flat charge of Rs. 20 for trading.
You can trade large volumes while paying a nominal fee of Rs 20 per trade.
From the upfront, Upstox and Zerodha are the same in terms of charges and benefits. One side Zerodha is the largest discount broker with more than 12 lakh customer, other side, Upstox recently crossed the 10 lakh customer mark.
However, there are some differences. Zerodha is always the most trusted and first preference for the traders, whereas Upstox is the fastest emerging discount broker in the last 2 years.
You can expect better customer support from the Zerodha and can get amazing deals like free account opening and 30 days zero brokerage from Upstox.
You can open an account with any between Upstox and Zerodha based on your requirements. Both the brokers provide a far better service than the other discount brokers.
I have reviewed Zerodha vs Upstox (RKSV) so that you can find out which one is better for your trading style. Before going to the detailed review, let’s compare both the discount brokers on the basis of the most important parameters.
Upstox Vs Zerodha Comparison
| Particulars | Upstox | Zerodha |
| Can trade-in | Stocks, Equity F&O, Currency F&O and Commodity F&O | Stocks, Equity F&O, Currency F&O and Commodity F&O Bonds and Govt-Securities |
| Brokerage Charges | Details for Upstox Basic Plan | Details for Zerodha Plan |
| Equity delivery | Rs. 0 | Rs. 0 |
| Equity Intraday, Futures, Options, | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Currency & Commodity FNO | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Charges for Call and Trade | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 50 per order |
| Margin for Intraday | Upto 15X | Upto 15X |
| Account Opening Charges | FREE | Rs 200 |
| AMC Fees | Rs. 25 per month | Rs. 300 yearly |
| Apply Now | Open Free Upstox account | Open Zerodha Account |
Upstox Charges vs Zerodha Charges Comparison
Upstox Brokerage vs Zerodha Brokerage
Upstox (RKSV) and Zerodha both charge the same brokerage charges of fix Rs 20 per trade.
Zerodha charge lower of Rs. 20 per order or 0.03%, whereas Upstox charge lower of Rs. 20 per order or 0.05%.
If your order value is more than Rs 2000 then both the broker will charge the same amount i.e Rs 20. But for trade volume lower than Rs 2000 Zerodha will charge less.
Upstox Account Charges Vs Zerodha Account Charges
You can open FREE Upstox account with my special link. But you would need to pay a nominal fee of Rs 200 for the Zerodha account opening.
The annual maintenance charges for Upstox account is Rs 25 per month.
Zerodha charge Rs 300 yearly as maintenance fee.
Upstox (RKSV) Demat & Trading Account Review
Earlier known as RKSV Securities, Upstox is for volume traders looking for high margins (up to 28X), low brokerages, and decent trading platforms.
You get more leverage up to 28X margin on intraday trades while paying a fixed brokerage of Rs. 20 per trade irrespective of the trading volume.
Upstox is backed by Tiger Global, Ratan Tata, and GVK Davix. So, you know that your broking firm is reliable. Upstox helps you trade in Stocks, Futures & Options, Currency and Commodity trading. You can use Upstox to invest in mutual funds also.
RKSV (Upstox) Brokerage Charges
Upstox offers two trading plans; Basic Plan and the Priority Plan. Both the plans are available to all the customers.
| Trading Type | Brokerage Charges for Basic Plan | Brokerage Charges for Priority Plan |
| Equity Delivery | Rs. 0 | Rs. 0 |
| Equity Intraday, FNO | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 30 per executed order or 0.10% |
| Currency Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 30 per executed order or 0.10% |
| Commodity Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 30 per executed order or 0.10% |
| Currency Options | Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 30 per executed order |
| Commodity Options | Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 30 per executed order |
Special Offer from Upstox (limited time)
You will get unlimited brokerage free trading for 30 days from the account opening. There is not cap on the free brokerage amount. So open your account before the offer ends.
You will also get Elearnmarket’s stock investment course and StockEdge premium membership both worth Rs 999 each.
Upstox Margin Provided
Priority trading pack is for intraday traders looking for more leverage. Upstox charges Rs. 999 per month for Equities, F&O, and CDS and Rs. 400 per month for commodities.
Upstox Margin for Intraday
| Segment | Basic | Priority Pack |
| NSE/ BSE Cash | 15X | 20X |
| Index Futures | 3X | 6X |
| Stock Futures | 3X | 3X |
| Index Option Sell | 3X | 6X |
| Stock Option Sell | 3X | 3X |
| NSE Currency | 4X | 4X |
| MCX Futures | 2.5X | 3X |
Margin in respect of OC/ OCO Orders
| Segment | Basic | Priority Pack |
| NSE/ BSE Cash | 20X | 27X |
| Index Futures | 20X | 28X |
| Stock Futures | 5X | 6X |
| Index Option Sell | 3X | 4X |
| Stock Option Sell | 3X | 3X |
| NSE Currency | 4X | 5X |
| MCX Futures | 3X | 4X |
| NSE Option Buy | 1.33X | 2X |
Upstox Account Opening Charges
The account opening process of Upstox is entirely online. The paperless account opening process can be completed in a day using Aadhaar.
Upstox does not charge a fee for opening a Demat account. But charges a Demat AMC fee of Rs. 25 per month.
Summary of charges is as under;
- Upstox Equity Demat and Trading – Rs. 0
- Upstox Demat Monthly Maintenance Charges – Rs. 25
Pros
- No brokerage charges for delivery
- Great trading platforms
- Fix & low brokerage irrespective of trade volume
- No Demat opening charges
- Provides great offers time to time
Cons
- You cannot make direct IPO and FPO investments.
- Customer support could have been better.
Upstox Account Best For
Upstox is best known for adding value-adding offers like free account opening and 30 days zero brokerage.
If you are looking for such offers long with low brokerage charges and high margins, then you must open account with Upstox.
Zerodha Demat & Trading Account Review
Zerodha, started the discount broking model in India by offering a disruptive pricing model of zero brokerage for delivery and fix Rs. 20 for other trades.
Zerodha is the most trusted and reputed discount broker in India. The biggest reason for their success is their customer support. You can contact their customer support on call, or email and get a positive response.
To answer all your queries, Zerodha also has a resource portal containing calculators, news & circulars and application & other useful forms.
New traders can check out – Zerodha Varsity and the Trading QnA portal that covers topics from basic to advanced trading.
Other discount brokers copied Zerodha price offers but couldn’t deliver good customer support.
Zerodha helps you to trade-in
- Stocks & IPO
- Derivatives – Stocks, Commodity and Currency
- Direct mutual funds
- Bonds and Govt-Securities
Brokerage Charges
Unlike Upstox, Zerodha does not have different plans for traders. You need to pay a maximum of Rs. 20 irrespective of the trading volume.
| Trading Type | Brokerage Charges |
| Equity Delivery | Rs. 0 |
| Equity Intraday & Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Equity Options | Rs. 20 per executed order |
| Currency, Commodity FNO | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
However, Zerodha charges for value-added services like providing stock reports, screeners, and small cases.
Margin Provided
Zerodha offers margin/ leverage on Margin Intraday Square off (MIS), Cover orders (CO) and Bracket orders (BO) products.
The Margin for Intraday (MIS) is as under;
| Segment | Margin |
| Equity Delivery | No Margin |
| Intraday Equity | Up to 15X depending on the scrip |
| Index F&O | 4.16X |
| Stock F&O | 3.33X |
| Currency Futures | 2X |
| Commodity Futures | 2X |
In Cover Orders (CO) and Bracket Orders (BO) a stop loss is placed with the initial order. That makes the trade comparatively less risky. Hence, Zerodha provides higher leverage on CO and BO.
However, Zerodha does not disclose the margin provided. You need to make use of BO&CO margin calculators before you trade.
For example, if you want to place a CO order (sell) for the scrip Asian Paints. Then you need to indicate the quantity, price and stop-loss price.
When you click “Calculate” the BO&CO calculator will give the margin required and the leverage details on the top right-hand corner as indicated below;
Zerodha Account Opening Charges
Following are the charges for opening an account online;
| Particulars | Charges |
| Trading and Demat account opening charges | Rs. 200 |
| Commodity Account | Rs. 100 |
| Annual maintenance charges | Rs. 300 |
Pros
- No brokerage charges for delivery.
- Low fixed brokerage charges for trading
- No minimum balance required to open and maintain the account.
- Good customer support.
- Provides best trading platforms
Cons
- Some customers face delays and service down during trading hours.
Best For
Zerodha is best for traders who is looking for good trading platforms, lower brokerage charges and good customer support.
Upstox Vs Zerodha (Complete Comparison Table)
| Particulars | UpStox | Zerodha |
| Type | Discount Broker | Discount Broker |
| Can trade-in | Stocks, Equity F&O, Currency F&O and Commodity F&O | Stocks, Equity F&O, Currency F&O and Commodity F&O Bonds and Govt-Securities |
| Can invest in | Mutual funds | Mutual fundsIPO – through Bhim UPI |
| Customer Support | Through calls and e-mail | Through calls, e-mails and tickets |
| Forum | None | Trading QnA Forum |
| Program for Traders | None | 60-day challenge |
| Referral Program | Yes | Yes |
| Learning Resources | Limited to basic guides | Zerodha Varsity |
| Brokerage Plan | Basic and Priority Plans | No Plans |
| Brokerage Charges | Details for Upstox Basic Plan | Details for Zerodha Plan |
| Equity delivery | Rs. 0 | Rs. 0 |
| Equity Intraday | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Equity Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Currency Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Commodity Futures | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05% | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Equity Options | Rs. 20 per executed order | Rs. 20 per executed order |
| Currency Options | Rs. 20 per executed order | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Commodity Options | Rs. 20 per executed order | Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.03% |
| Call and Trade Facility | Yes | Yes |
| Charges for Call and Trade | Rs. 20 per order | Rs. 50 per order |
| Margin for Intraday | Details for Upstox Basic Plan | Details for Zerodha Plan |
| NSE/ BSE Cash | 15X | 15X |
| Index Futures | 3X | 4.16X |
| Stock Futures | 3X | 3.33X |
| Index Option | 3X | 4.16X |
| Stock Option | 3X | 3.33X |
| NSE Currency | 4X | 2X |
| MCX Futures | 2.5X | 2X |
| Margin for OC/ OCO | Details for Upstox Basic Plan | Details for Zerodha Plan |
| NSE/ BSE Cash | 20X | Does not disclose upfront. You need to use BO&CO margin calculator |
| Index Futures | 20X | Same as above |
| Stock Futures | 5X | Same as above |
| Index Option Sell | 3X | Same as above |
| Stock Option Sell | 3X | Same as above |
| NSE Currency | 4X | Same as above |
| MCX Futures | 3X | Same as above |
| NSE Option Buy | 1.33X | Same as above |
| Account opening | Both online and offline | Both online and offline |
| Account Opening Charges | Upstox | Zerodha |
| Demat Account | Rs. 0 | Charges for Demat & Trading account is clubbed – Rs. 200 |
| Trading Account | Rs. 0 | Charges for Demat & Trading account is clubbed – Rs. 200 |
| Demat AMC Fees | Rs. 25 per month | Rs. 300 |
| Commodity Account | Rs. 0 | Rs. 100 |
| 3-in-1 account | IndusStox 3-in-1 account | Zerodha IDFC First Bank 3-in-1 account |
| Trading Platforms | Upstox Pro WebUpstox NEST Trader | Zerodha Kite 3.0Zerodha PI |
| Partnered Platform/ software | Dartstock softwareFox Trader | None |
| Cloud Alert Tool | None | Sentinel |
| APIs | Upstox API supports Python, Javascript. .NET through the third party | Kite Connect API supports Python, Java, PHP, NodeJS, C#, and .Net. |
| Trading App | Upstox Pro App | Kite Mobile App |
| Apply Now | Open Free Upstox Account | Open Zerodha Account |
F&Q
Q: What documents are needed to open an account online?
A: For online Demat and Trading account opening you will need to upload scanned copy of the following documents;
- PAN card
- Aadhaar Card
- Canceled cheque
- A photo or scanned copy of your signature proof
- Income proof if you want to trade in F&O
- Form-16
- IT acknowledgment
- 6-month bank statement
- Latest salary slip
- CA certified net worth statement
Q: What is the power of attorney (PoA) and why is it needed?
A: PoA is a document that gives your broker the right to debit shares from your Demat account on your behalf.
PoA is required whenever you want to sell your shares. Without PoA, your broker will not be able to sell your shares.
Q: How can I add money to my trading account?
A: You can add money using NEFT, IMPS, and RTGS through your Net Banking facility. For that, you need to add your broker as Beneficiary (Payee) and then you can transfer the funds.
Q: What are limit and market orders?
A: A limit order is an order to buy or sell a stock, F&O at a specified price. The trade gets executed only when the specified price is hit.
A market order is an order to buy or sell at the prevailing market prices. The trade gets executed instantly after the orders are placed.
Q: What is stop loss?
A: A stop-loss order is a buy/ sell order placed to limit losses in case of adverse price movements.
For example, if you have bought a share at Rs 150 and you want to limit your loss at 145, then you can place a stop-loss order at Rs. 145. The system will automatically sell you share in case the price falls to Rs. 145. You stop from making further losses in case of a down market.
Conclusion (Zerodha vs Upstox Which is Better)
Why You Might Prefer Zerodha
Zerodha is for a cost-conscious trader beginning his journey into the world of stock investing and trading.
The flat Rs. 20 per trade brokerages and decent margins of 12.5x is neither too high or low and saves you from the risk of making large losses.
Why You Might Prefer Upstox (RKSV)
Upstox brokerage plans (similar to Zerodha) and margin structure supports both new and intermediate traders and investors. The biggest benefit is that Upstox provides one of the fastest trading platforms which is an essential requirement for intraday trading.
New traders can pick the Basic Plan to learn day trading and then have the option to move to the Priority Pack when you have 6 to 10 months of trading comfort.
Intermediate (high volume) day traders can directly start with the Priority Pack.
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