10 Best Trading Platforms For Stocks In India 2023

Watch any YouTube video, and you will see an ad about some or the other online trading apps. After the disruption in two prominent industries – telecom and finance- online trading apps’ popularity has grown, and share market investments have become easy for beginners and day-to-day traders.

Trading platforms play a crucial role in today’s world of online trading. To provide the quickest and most convenient online trading platform with greater ease and convenience, brokers are continually introducing new features to their platforms.

Due to the need for advanced features like real-time market data, powerful charting, and many technical indicators, a fast online trading platform is essential for successful trading.

The 10 Best Trading Platforms In India For Beginners And Advanced Users

Would you like to know which is the best trading platform in India? You can make better decisions if you understand the following descriptions of each popular stock trading platform.

#1. Zerodha Kite

Advantages of Zerodha Kite

• Watching multiple markets
• Charts with more than 100 indicators and six categories
• Orders with progressive entry, such as brackets with triggers and covers with limits
• Over 90,000 stocks and F&O contracts can be searched using a unified instrument search
• Ticks, quotes, and order alerts in real-time
• Integration of Quant tool for behavior analytics-based fundamental analysis

Cons of Zerodha Kite

• There is no scope for backtesting strategies
• Zerodha Q is a separate back office

Account Charges of Zerodha Kite

• Opening a Demat and trading account costs Rs 200
• Rs 100 for opening a commodity account
• There is an annual maintenance charge of Rs 300

Zerodha Brokerage Charges

Charges (Equity)	Brokerage Charge
Delivery	Zero Brokerage
Intraday	Per executed order, as low as 0.03% or Rs 20
Futures	As low as Rs 20 per order or 0.3% of the executed order
Options	A flat fee of Rs 20 will be charged for every order executed

#2. Upstox Pro

With its low brokerage charges and advanced technology platforms, Upstox is one of the best discount brokers in India.

Regardless of the trading volume, Upstox charges a fixed brokerage of Rs. 20 per trade for intraday trading. You can save a lot on brokerage fees compared to other full brokers.

Upstox provides the fastest & best online trading platform in India, which is the main requirement for trading. Until the end of the month, Upstox is offering Free account openings with no AMC charges.

Advantages of Upstox Pro 

• Predefined watch lists of the Nifty 50 and other indices can be contacted
• Invest in NSE cash, futures, and options, as well as currencies
• On real-time charts, you can apply 100+ technical indicators
• Create unlimited price alerts for quick updates
• Create an unlimited number of watch lists
• Benchmarking tools for advanced charting

Cons of Upstox  Pro 

• There is a lack of technical support
• Compared to its counterparts, it has fewer features.
• Connectivity to the internet must be fast and stable for Upstox’s desktop terminal.
• Unlike other call and trade services, Upstox charges Rs 20 when placing an order over the phone.

Upstox Account Regular Fee & Charges

• Upstox Demat and Trading Account Opening – Zero
• Upstox Annual Maintenance Charges – Zero
• Upstox Trading Brokerage Charges

Type	Brokerage
Equity Delivery	Rs. 20 or 2.5% whichever is lower
Equity Intraday	Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05%
Equity Futures	Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05%
Equity Options	Rs. 20 per executed order
Currency Futures & Options	Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05%
Commodity F&O	Lower of Rs. 20 per executed order or 0.05%

#3. 5Paisa 

The brokerage charges at 5Paisa are the lowest at Rs 10 for both Ultra Trader and Power Investor packs. For just Rs 10 per trade, you can place a trade worth a crore!

For trading, you can use the 5Paisa mobile trading app. In terms of usability, user experience, and speed, the 5Paisa app is the best mobile app in India.

On submitting all the documents, your 5Paisa account will be opened the same day. When it comes to finding the lowest brokerage Demat account, 5Paisa is the best option.

It costs Rs. 999 per month for the Ultra Trader pack and Rs. 499 per month for the Power Investor pack. If you don’t purchase the pack, 5Paisa charges a flat fee of Rs. 20 for each order you execute.

Pros of 5Paisa 

• Brokerage charges of Rs 10 per trade are the lowest
• Under the Ultra Trader pack, there is no brokerage fee on delivery
• The fastest way to open an account
• Easy-to-use trading app

Cons of 5Paisa 

• No commodity trading.
• No 3-in-1 accounts.
• Average customer service.

5Paisa Annual Charges Details

• Rs 0 per month for holdings below Rs. 50,000
• Rs 8 per month – If the holding value is between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 2 lacs
• Rs. 25 per month – If the holding value exceeds Rs. 2 lacs

*It is FREE to open an account with 5paisa.

Margin provided by 5Paisa

Trading Segment	Margin Offered
Equity intraday buy/sell	Upto 5x
Equity F&O	1x
Currency F&O	1x
Commodity F&O	1x

5Paisa Brokerage Charges

There are two add-on plans offered by 5Paisa – the Power Investor Pack and the Ultra Trader Pack. Under both packs, brokerage charges are as follows:

Trading Segment	Power Investor Pack(Per Executed Order)	Ultra Trader Pack ( Per Executed Order)
Equity Delivery	Rs 10	Rs 0
Equity Intraday	Rs 10	Rs 10
Equity F&O	Rs 10	Rs 10
Currency F&O	Rs 10	Rs 10
Commodity  F&O	Rs 10	Rs 10

#4. PayTM Money

If you want to intraday trade equity cash, equity F&O, or currency F&O, PayTM Money (broking & investment platform) offers the lowest flat fee of Rs. 10.

There are lacs of investors who trust PayTM money in addition to stocks, mutual funds, NPS, IPOs, and ETFs. Thereby PayTM money’s fee structure is similar to that of discount brokers.

You can open a PayTM Money Demat account if you want the lowest brokerage changes. Based on platform features, speed, charting functionality, user-friendliness, and platform charges, we have included PayTM Money in the list of best trading platform in India 2023.

PayTM Money Pros 

• Low trading charges with a simple pricing model. All segments have a flat brokerage rate of Rs 15 per trade.
• Earn an extra 1% return with a direct mutual fund platform.
• Online investment options include digital gold and NPS, as well as stocks, derivatives, and mutual funds.
• Advisory services for mutual funds.
• Order types include brackets and covers.

Cons of PayTM Money 

• Contrary to popular brokers such as Zerodha and ProStocks, Equity Delivery brokerage is not free.
• Branch support is not available.
• There is no margin funding facility available.
• There is no facility for margin against shares.
• Trading in commodities and currencies is not available.
• Do not offer advanced order types such as GTC (Good Till Cancelled), CO, BO, and Basket Order.
• NRI trading accounts are not offered.
• Trading plans with unlimited monthly volume are not available.

PayTM Brokerage Charges   

• A delivery trade costs Rs. 0.01 (1 paisa per order).
• For Intraday, per executed order:  Rs. 10 or 0.05% of turnover, whichever is less.
• Brokerage on F&O trades is Rs. 10 or 0.02% of turnover, whichever is less.

However, you will need to pay additional fees, such as: 

• There is a monthly fee of Rs. 30 for platform usage on an annual basis
• The charge for executing a call and trade order is Rs. 100
• Charges for payment gateways – Net banking – Rs. 10. UPI – Rs. 0

The USP of PayTM Money Demat and Trading Accounts

• There is no delivery charge (1 paisa per order).
• Traders can take advantage of one of the lowest flat brokerages on trading at Rs. 10

There is no paperwork involved, no hassle, and the account can be opened online. To complete KYC, you must download the PayTM money app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store

#5. IIFL Demat

With more than 24 lakh customers, IIFL Securities Ltd (IIFL) is one of the largest full-service stockbrokers. Investors who need guidance and research support when making investment decisions can benefit from IIFL Demat accounts.

Trading and value investing requires a percentage-based brokerage fee. Investor, Premium, and Super Trader are three brokerage plans offered by IIFL.

Earlier this year, IIFL announced its iSERVE plan, which charges Rs. 20 per order across all segments.

Additionally, IIFL offers value-added services such as

• Advisory & Research
• Reports & information on the markets & sectors
• Sensibull Options Trading
• Loan products including Home Loans, Personal Loans, Gold Loans, Property Loans, and Business Loans
• Investing in mutual funds
• Management of wealth and financial resources
• Institutional Equities & Investment Banking Services for NRIs

*For the first year, you can open an IIFL Demat account for free and pay no AMC fee.

Pros of IIFL Securities 

• Branches across India provide full-service brokerage.
• BSE, NSE, MCX, and NCDEX offer flat brokerage rates of Rs 20 per trader for Delivery, Intraday, and F&O.
• Research and recommendations on equity and mutual funds for free.
• One of the best trading platforms is Trader Terminal.
• On the same platform, you can trade equities, commodities, and currencies.
• Investment plans are available through IIFL, including Equity Systematic Investment Plans (Equity SIPs).
• Provide advanced order types such as Valid till Date (VTD) orders.
• Each account has a Relationship Manager (RM) who provides in-person trading advice and assistance.

Cons of IIFL Securities 

• Margin funding is provided to customers without notice. Customers pay hefty interest charges due to this confusion.
• In contrast to Zerodha, ProStocks, Angel One, and other discount brokers, equity delivery brokerage is not free.
• Due to its lack of a banking license, IIFL does not offer a 3-in-1 account.
• Direct mutual funds are not offered by it.
• Each call & trade change costs Rs 50.

IIFL Account Opening Charges (iSERVE plan)

• Opening an account is free of charge
• The first-year annual maintenance fee is free for a limited time.
• From the second year onwards, annual maintenance charges are Rs 25 per month

IIFL iSERVE Plan Brokerage Charges

A stock delivery fee of Rs. 20 is charged per trade

For intraday, equity, currency, and commodity F&O, they charge a flat rate of Rs 20 per trade

#6. Angel One

10 million customers make Angel One (formerly Angel Broking) one of the oldest brokerages in India. Angel One’s customer service is excellent, and regardless of the trade volume, it charges a flat fee of Rs 20 per transaction.

Pros of Angel One 

• Low brokerage fees are available for full-service brokerage services.
• A stockbroker who charges a flat fee of Rs 20 per order across segments and exchanges. Equity delivery trades without brokerage fees.
• Beginners can receive training and hand-holding.
• Securities as collateral and margin trading facilities are available.
• NEFT/fund transfers are free of charge. (Others charge ~Rs 10 per transaction).
• Intraday square-offs and call & trades are only charged at Rs 20 (others charge Rs 50).
• Stock and mutual fund advisory/tips are free (others do not).
• Even at a discount brokerage, local sub-brokers and RMs are available.

Cons of Angel One 

• Customers receive margin funding without notice. Customers pay hefty interest charges as a result of this confusion.
• Trading in SME shares is not offered by Angel Broking.
• Cross-selling is a priority for Angel RM and the sales team.
• It is not possible to place an order through GTC/GTT.
• A Three-in-one account is not available.

Angel One’s account opening and AMC fees

• There is no charge for opening a trading account.
• The annual maintenance fee is Rs. 0 for the first year, then Rs. 20 per month thereafter.

Trading Segment Brokerage Charges

Category	Brokerage Fee(Per Executed Order of Rs 20)
Equity Delivery	Rs 0
Equity Intraday Trading	A lower rate of 0.25%
Equity F&O Trades	A lower rate of 0.25%
Currency F&O Trades	A lower rate of 0.25%
Commodity F&O Trades	A lower rate of 0.25%

Additional Services

• Up to five times the deposit amount is provided as margin
• With digital KYC, you can start trading within an hour
• Partnering with Vested Finance on US stock market investments
• Portfolio management and stock advisory services

#7. Sharekhan Demat & Trading

As a full-service broker, Sharekhan offers trading, portfolio management, research, mutual funds, and investor education. Over 2.5 million customers are served by 3500+ share shops in 600+ cities.

Pros of Sharekhan

• There are no account opening fees
• For the first year, there is no annual maintenance fee
• Investors can attend Sharekhan’s online and offline training workshops
• Call & trade facility at no cost

Cons of Sharekhan

• The second leg of the transaction involves brokerage charges.
• Brokerage rates are higher than those of other stockbrokers. However, you can negotiate at the time of account opening.

Account Charges of Sharekhan account

• Trading Account Opening Charges – Nil
• Demat Account Opening Charges – Nil
• Annual Maintenance Charges – Rs. 400 per annum

Brokerage Charges of Sharekhan

Trading Segment	Brokerage
Equity Intraday	Both the 1st Leg and the 2nd Leg will be 0.10%
Equity Delivery	0.50%(min 10p)
Equity Futures	Both the 1st Leg and the 2nd Leg will be 0.10%
Equity Options	Rs 100 per lot or 2.5%(depending upon which of the charge is higher )
Currency F&O	Rs 30 per lot or  2.5%(depending upon which of the charge is higher )

#8. Religare Broking 

As part of Religare Enterprises Limited, Religare Broking operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Religare Enterprise provides a wide range of financial services as a diversified financial services group. Both online and offline, Religare Broking serves over 10 lakh clients.

Religare broking offers a wide range of services, including equity, currency, and commodity trading, in addition to depository participant services.

Advantages of Religare Broking

• With a mobile trading platform from Religare Broking, you can place orders anywhere, anytime.
• Through a single account, investors can invest in equities, derivatives, currencies, futures, commodities, and mutual funds.
• Analyzes historical charts and provides intraday reporting.

Disadvantages of Religare Broking

• A processing fee of Rs. 500 is charged for each account.
• Each offline order is limited to Rs 10 with a maximum of Rs 50 per segment per day.
• EXE-based desktop platforms are charged Rs. 999 per year by Religion.

Account Charges

• There are no charges for opening a Demat account
• No charges for opening a trading account
• The annual maintenance fee is Rs. 400 per year, billed monthly

However, there is a Rs. 500 account processing fee.

Note – To get a free lifetime AMC, you need to pay either a one-time non-refundable fee of Rs. 1,111 or a refundable fee of Rs. 2,500.

Religare Demat & Trading Account Brokerage Charges

Brokerage fees are based on a percentage at Religare. Brokerage charges can be negotiated when opening a Demat and trading account. The maximum charges (on the website) are as follows:

• Equity Intraday Charges – Maximum 2.5%
• Equity Delivery – Maximum 2.5%
• Equity F&O – Maximum 2.5% / Rs. 100 per lot

#9. Motilal Oswal 

Over 29 lakh customers are registered with Motilal Oswal’s 2200 business locations. Its strong customer base is due to Motilal Oswal’s research-based advice. Around 10% of its revenue is spent on research and hiring & training for research.

It provides a wide range of financial services, including private wealth management, retail broking and distribution, commodity broking, currency broking, and many more.

Account Charges

• There is no charge for opening a Demat account
• There is no charge for opening a trading account
• Depending on the scheme, annual maintenance charges can reach Rs 899.

Note – Under the lifetime AMC scheme, you can pay Rs. 2,500 once.

Motilal Oswal Brokerage Charges 

Segment	Brokerage
Equity Intraday	0.04%
Equity Delivery	0.40%
Equity Options	Rs 50 per lot
Commodity Options	Rs 200 per lot
Currency F&O	Rs 20 per lot

#10. NSE Now

The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has developed NOW (Neat on Web) instead of other trading platforms created by stockbrokers. The platform is one of the best in the country when it comes to trading.

A variety of trading segments are available in this trading app, such as equity, derivatives, currency, and others.

Pros of NSE NOW 

• Users can configure alerts and notifications according to their preferences
• Invest in stocks, watch trends, and monitor indices and sectors
• Over 80 technical indicators on 15+ charts
• Transferring funds to a variety of leading banks is easy
• Investing tips every day

Cons of NSE NOW 

• It is relatively difficult to comprehend
• NSE NOW is rarely charged by stockbrokers
• Performing well with an application requires a great PC configuration

NSE NOW terminal Charges 

Previously, NSE NOW was free for traders.

In July 2017, however, the platform became a paid platform, based on how many terminals brokers use.

This has caused many option trading brokers to cease offering NSE NOW trading platforms or to charge customers for access to NSE NOW.

No Terminals per Customer	Charges per terminal
0-5	Rs. 300 per terminal (A minimum fee of Rs. 1500 per month shall be charged in this particular slab)
6-25	Rs.1500 + Rs.275 per incremental terminal over 5 terminals
26-100	Rs.7000 + Rs. 225 per incremental terminal over 25 terminals
101-250	Rs.23875 + Rs.175 per incremental terminal over 100 terminals
251-500	Rs.50125 + Rs.125 per incremental terminal over 250 terminals
501-1000	Rs.81375 + Rs. 50 per incremental terminal over 500 terminals
1000+	Rs.106375 + Rs 10 per incremental terminal over 1000 terminals

Conclusion: 

A decade ago, traders would pay for data feeds and purchase charting software such as Amibroker, Metatrader, etc. They were all quite expensive. As a result of heavy competition between brokers and advances in technology, traders can take advantage of all these free services.

Since most platforms have the same features, it is now difficult to differentiate between them.

The key to online trading is to design and execute a trading strategy perfectly. All the platforms above are of the highest quality. You just need to choose the one with the necessary technical analysis tools.

The ideal trading platform for you will truly match your trading goals, requirements, and style while also considering associated charges, features, etc.