Answered 29 June 2026
In India’s evolving stock market landscape, **"zero brokerage"** can mean two different things:
1. **Zero Brokerage on Equity Delivery Only:** These are the giant discount brokers where investing for the long term (holding stocks) is 100% free, but they charge a flat fee (usually up to ₹20/order) for Intraday and Futures & Options (F&O).
2. **True Zero Brokerage Across All Segments:** These platforms charge ₹0 brokerage on everything (Delivery, Intraday, and F&O), usually in exchange for a one-time onboarding fee or specific app-only models.
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## 1. True "Absolute Zero" Brokerage Apps (All Segments Free)
If your primary goal is day trading or F&O and you want to completely eliminate the ₹20-per-order fee, these are the top platforms:
* **m.Stock (by Mirae Asset):** * **The Deal:** You pay a one-time account opening fee of **₹999**, and you get **lifetime zero brokerage** across all segments—Equity Delivery, Intraday, F&O, Mutual Funds, and Currency.
* * **Best For:** High-volume active traders who want the backing of an established global financial institution.
* **Shoonya (by Finvasia):** * **The Deal:** A completely zero-cost app with **no upfront subscription fee, no AMC (Annual Maintenance Charges), and zero brokerage** across all segments.
* * **Best For:** Budget-conscious traders who want TradingView and ChartIQ integration without paying a single paisa in platform fees.
* **Flattrade / Navia:**
* * **The Deal:** Rapidly growing platforms offering lifetime zero brokerage on all orders (Cash, F&O, Commodities) with zero lifetime AMC.
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## 2. Best Popular Discount Brokers (Free Equity Delivery)
If you are primarily an investor (buying and holding stocks) or a beginner, the dominant market leaders offer free delivery, though they charge a flat fee for intraday/derivatives:
### Groww
* **Charges:** ₹0 for Equity Delivery (or 0.05% / ₹20 max per trade for intraday/F&O).
* **Why choose it:** It has one of the cleanest, most uncluttered interfaces in India. It is highly streamlined for complete beginners, making buying stocks and starting Mutual Fund SIPs incredibly easy.
### Zerodha (Kite)
* **Charges:** ₹0 for Equity Delivery. Flat ₹20 per trade for Intraday and F&O. (Account opening fee: ₹200).
* **Why choose it:** As India's pioneer discount broker, its "Kite" platform is incredibly stable, handles high volumes smoothly, offers deep educational content (Varsity), and features essential tools like "Kill Switch" to combat over-trading.
### Angel One & Upstox
* **Charges:** ₹0 for Equity Delivery. Flat ₹20 per trade for Intraday/F&O.
* **Why choose them:** Both offer incredibly fast execution and advanced TradingView charting tools. Angel One also provides built-in AI-driven investment advisory and research reports.
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## Important Summary Table
| App | Delivery Brokerage | Intraday / F&O Brokerage | Account Opening / AMC Fees |
|:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |
| **m.Stock** | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹999 one-time (for lifetime zero) |
| **Shoonya** | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹0 Account Opening / ₹0 AMC |
| **Groww** | ₹0 | Lower of ₹20 or 0.05% | ₹0 Account Opening / ₹0 AMC |
| **Zerodha** | ₹0 | Lower of ₹20 or 0.03% | ₹200 upfront / ₹300 yearly AMC |
> ⚠️ **Note on "Hidden" Charges:** Even with a 100% zero brokerage app, you will still have to pay **government-mandated statutory charges** on every transaction. These include Securities Transaction Tax (STT), SEBI turnover fees, Stamp Duty, and GST. No broker can waive these.