Answered 18 July 2026
Finding the "lowest brokerage" in India depends heavily on your trading style. The discount broking space is divided into **Absolute Zero-Brokerage Platforms** (perfect for active day traders or F&O players) and **Standard Flat-Fee Discount Brokers** (industry giants who charge minimal, fixed fees).
The most cost-effective brokers in India are detailed below.
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### 1. Absolute Zero-Brokerage Platforms
These brokers stand out because they charge **₹0 brokerage** across equity, intraday, and derivatives (F&O), making them popular for high-volume traders trying to eliminate friction costs.
| Broker | Equity Delivery | Equity Intraday | Futures & Options (F&O) | Demat AMC | Key Details |
|:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |
| **Flattrade** | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹0 | Free | Truly free model across all major segments. |
| **Navia** | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹0 | Free | Offers zero brokerage for life across all segments. |
| **m.Stock** (by Mirae Asset) | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹0 (With paid plan) | Requires a **one-time upfront fee** of ₹999 to unlock lifetime ₹0 brokerage. Alternatively, they charge a lower flat fee (around ₹10/trade). |
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### 2. Premium Flat-Fee Discount Brokers
If you value industry-leading technology, advanced charting tools, and stable order execution architectures over absolute zero fees, these platforms charge a flat, capped fee per trade.
| Broker | Equity Delivery | Equity Intraday | Futures & Options (F&O) | Why Choose Them? |
|:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |
| **Zerodha** | ₹0 | Lower of ₹20 or 0.03% | Flat ₹20 per executed order | The market leader. Exceptional UI/UX, best-in-class reporting (Console), and zero delivery fees. |
| **Groww** | Lower of ₹20 or 0.1% | Lower of ₹20 or 0.1% | Flat ₹20 per executed order | Highly beginner-friendly app. Unlike Zerodha, they do charge a minor fee on long-term delivery trades. |
| **Dhan** | ₹0 | Lower of ₹20 or 0.03% | Flat ₹20 per executed order | Highly favored by Option traders due to deep integration with TradingView and free advanced API tools. |
| **Angel One** | Lower of ₹20 or 0.1% | Lower of ₹20 or 0.1% | Flat ₹20 per executed order | A hybrid full-service/discount broker offering research advisory alongside competitive pricing. |
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### 💡 Crucial "Hidden" Costs to Remember
Even if a broker claims to have **₹0 Brokerage**, you will never pay exactly zero to trade in India. Stock exchanges and government regulations enforce mandatory statutory charges on every transaction, including:
* **STT (Securities Transaction Tax):** Usually the heaviest tax component, charged on buy/sell values.
* **DP (Depository Participant) Charges:** Charged by CDSL/NSDL + your broker every time you *sell* shares from your long-term holdings (typically ranges from ₹13.5 to ₹20 + GST per scrip/day).
* **SEBI Turnover Fees & Exchange Transaction Charges**.
* **18% GST** on the brokerage, exchange fees, and DP charges.
### Which one should you choose?
* Choose **Flattrade** or **m.Stock** if you are a heavy intraday/F&O scalper where saving ₹20 per order amounts to thousands of rupees a month.
* Choose **Zerodha** or **Dhan** if you want the absolute best charting reliability, technical stability, and ecosystem for long-term investing.
To help narrow down the perfect platform for you, what financial segment do you intend to trade in most frequently (e.g., long-term stock investing, intraday equity, or F&O derivatives)?