Lowest brokerage in India 2026

If your goal is **the absolute lowest brokerage in India in 2026**, the answer depends on what you trade: | Broker | Equity Delivery | Intraday | F&O | Best For | |----------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | Shoonya by Finvasia | ₹0 | Very low / near-zero brokerage plans | Very low | Lowest overall cost traders | | m.Stock | ₹0 | Lifetime zero-brokerage plans available | Low-cost | High-volume traders | | 5paisa | ₹10/order | ₹10/order | ₹10/order | Active traders seeking low flat fees | | Zerodha | ₹0 | ₹20/order | ₹20/order | Best platform + reliability balance | | Dhan | ₹0 | ₹20/order | ₹20/order | Traders and API users | | Upstox | ₹20/order (varies by plan) | ₹20/order | ₹20/order | Beginners and traders | | Groww | Not truly free (₹20 or 0.05%) | ₹20/order | ₹20/order | Investors wanting simple UI | ### Best choices by usage - **Lowest brokerage overall:** Shoonya by Finvasia - **Lowest cost for delivery investing:** Zerodha, Dhan, and m.Stock offer genuine ₹0 delivery brokerage. - **Lowest flat brokerage for active traders:** 5paisa (₹10/order) and some newer brokers such as Punch offer even lower rates on certain segments. - **Best overall combination of cost, platform quality, and ecosystem:** Zerodha remains the most popular choice despite not being the absolute cheapest. One important point: brokerage is only part of the cost. **DP charges, exchange fees, taxes, and other hidden charges can sometimes matter more than brokerage itself**, especially for delivery investors. If you tell me whether you're mainly doing **long-term investing, intraday, options selling, or algo trading**, I can suggest the cheapest broker specifically for that style.

In the Indian stock broking space, finding the "lowest brokerage" isn't just about looking at the headline price—it depends heavily on whether you are a long-term investor, an intraday trader, or an F&O (Futures & Options) player. The industry is dominated by **Discount Brokers**, who offer ultra-low flat rates or completely free delivery trading. A comprehensive breakdown of the lowest brokerage structures across major platforms highlights the top contenders: --- ## 1. Zero Brokerage Pioneers (Best for Free Segments) Some brokers offer completely zero-brokerage models across specific segments to eliminate standard trading costs: * **m.Stock (by Mirae Asset):** Famous for its "Lifetime Free Brokerage" plan. By paying a one-time upfront fee (around ₹999 + GST), you get **₹0 brokerage for life** across all segments including Equity Delivery, Intraday, F&O, Mutual Funds, and Currency. * **Shoonya (by Finvasia):** A strictly zero-brokerage, zero-hidden-fee platform. It charges **₹0** for account opening, **₹0 AMC**, and **₹0 brokerage** across all trading segments (Delivery, Intraday, F&O). * **Kotak Securities (Trade FREE Plan):** Offers **₹0 brokerage on all Intraday trades** across segments. For young investors (under 30 years old), their "Youth Plan" offers free trading across almost all segments for the first year. --- ## 2. Flat ₹20 Leaders (Best for Reliability & Volume) The standard industry benchmark for mainstream discount brokers is the flat-fee model. Instead of a percentage, they charge a maximum of **₹20 per executed order**, which drastically lowers costs for high-volume traders. | Broker | Equity Delivery | Equity Intraday | Futures & Options (F&O) | Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC) | |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **Groww** | Lower of 0.1% or **₹20** | Lower of 0.1% or **₹20** | Flat **₹20** per trade | **₹0** (Free Lifetime AMC) | | **Zerodha** | **₹0** (Completely Free) | Lower of 0.03% or **₹20** | Flat **₹20** per trade | ₹300/year | | **Angel One** | **₹0** (Free) | Lower of 0.1% or **₹20** | Flat **₹20** per trade | Free 1st year, then ~₹20/month | | **Upstox** | Lower of 2.5% or **₹20** | Lower of 0.05% or **₹20** | Flat **₹20** per trade | **₹0** (Free Lifetime AMC) | | **Dhan** | **₹0** (Completely Free) | Lower of 0.03% or **₹20** | Flat **₹20** (50% off for women traders) | **₹0** (Free Lifetime AMC) | --- ## 3. "Hidden" Regulatory & Statutory Charges Even if a broker advertises "Zero Brokerage," you cannot escape government-mandated taxes and exchange fees. Whenever you buy or sell, keep an eye on these structural expenses: * **STT (Securities Transaction Tax):** 0.1% on both Buy & Sell for Equity Delivery; 0.025% on Sell for Intraday. * **DP (Depository Participant) Charges:** Charged only when you **sell** shares from your Demat account. This typically ranges from ₹13.5 to ₹20 + GST per company per day, regardless of the broker. * **Exchange Transaction Charges:** Charged by the NSE/BSE (roughly 0.003% to 0.0035% of the total turnover). * **GST:** 18% applied specifically on the *brokerage amount + exchange transaction charges + DP charges*. --- ## Which one should you choose? * **If you only want to invest for the long term (Buy & Hold):** **Zerodha**, **Groww**, or **Dhan** are excellent because they offer ₹0 or minimal fees on delivery and mutual funds, coupled with clean user interfaces. * **If you are a heavy intraday/F&O trader looking to save every rupee:** **m.Stock** or **Shoonya** will save you thousands of rupees in monthly brokerage due to their true-zero pricing mechanics. * **If you want a mix of research recommendations and low fees:** **Angel One** bridges the gap between traditional full-service advising and flat-rate discount pricing perfectly.

The lowest headline brokerage plans in India for 2026 are offered by modern **discount brokers, who have cut charges down to absolute zero (𝟎)** across multiple trading segments, or charge a tight flat fee of **𝟐𝟎 per executed order**. While several platforms market themselves as zero-brokerage, they generally fall into three distinct categories: **True Zero-Brokerage** (no fees across all segments), **Hybrid Discount** (free equity delivery, flat 2 0 for intraday/F&O), and **Subscription-based models**. Compare Lowest Brokerage Platforms in 2026 The table below breaks down the top low-cost stock brokers in India by their standard, headline brokerage rates. | Stock Broker | Equity Delivery | Equity Intraday | Futures & Options (F&O) | Account Maintenance (AMC) | |---|---|---|---|---| | **Shoonya by Finvasia** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (Lifetime Free) | | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (Lifetime Free) | | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (Via one-time upfront fee) | | **** | 0 | Lower of 2 0 or 0.0 3% | 2 0 per order | 3 0 0 / year | | **Groww** | Lower of 2 0 or 0.0 5% | Lower of 2 0 or 0.0 5% | 2 0 per order | 0 | | **Angel One** | 0 | Lower of 2 0 or 0.0 3% | 2 0 per order | 2 4 0 / year | | **Upstox** | 0 | Lower of 2 0 or 0.0 5% | 2 0 per order | 1 5 0 to 3 0 0 / year | Uncover the Breakdown of Leading Options True Zero-Brokerage Ecosystems - **Shoonya by Finvasia**: They maintain a strict **zero-brokerage structure across all trading segments** (Delivery, Intraday, Options, and Futures) with no hidden account maintenance fees. They monetize alternative clearing structures and institutional offerings rather than retail traders. - **Flattrade**: Offers a completely **free trading experience across the board**. There are zero clearing charges, zero brokerage fees, and no annual upkeep costs for retail demat holders. - **m.Stock by Mirae Asset**: Provides a lifetime **𝟎 brokerage layout across all products**. However, accessing this requires an initial, one-time premium account opening fee (typically 9 9 9). Flat-Fee Industry Giants (Hybrid Model) - **Zerodha**: The discount pioneer charges **𝟎 for long-term equity delivery investments**. For intraday and F&O trading, they levy a cap of 2 0 per order, ensuring predictable costs for high-volume traders. - **Groww**: India's largest broker by active user base structures fees at **𝟐𝟎 or𝟎.𝟎𝟓% per order** for both delivery and intraday. They offer an entirely free annual upkeep tier (0 AMC). Identify "Hidden" Non-Brokerage Regulatory Costs Even if a platform advertises exact zero-brokerage trading, every investor must pay mandatory **statutory and transaction fees** dictated by SEBI and the Government of India. These cannot be waived by any broker: 1. **Securities Transaction Tax (STT):** Charged at 0.1% on both buy and sell transactions for Equity Delivery, and 0.0 2 5% on the sell-side for Intraday. 2. **DP (Depository Participant) Charges:** A flat fee (usually 1 3.5 to 1 8.5 + GST) levied by CDSL/NSDL *only when selling* shares from your Demat account. It applies per stock ticker per day, not per order. 3. **SEBI Turnover Fees & GST:** A fixed statutory fee of 0.0 0 0 1% alongside an 1 8% GST on the combined value of the brokerage, SEBI fees, and transaction exchange costs. If you would like to narrow this down, please share **what financial segment you trade most frequently** (e.g., long-term delivery, fast intraday, or F&O contracts) or **how many orders you typically execute per month** so I can calculate your exact projected costs.