Who are Discount Brokers?

Discount brokers are the stockbrokers who charges lower commissions than a full-service broker. Some of them don’t take any commission on a few segments. In contrast to a full-service broker, a discount broker does not provide investment advice or perform analysis. In this article we will talk about the best discount brokers.

Top 3 Discount Brokers 2021

A few years back when I first started stock trading, I was very much worried about the stockbrokers. Like all of you, I am also a beginner at one point in time. So, I did some research and found out about ZERODHA. Initially, I was not sure how reliable they were. But among all the available stock brokers Zerodha’s web and app interface attracted me very much. Unlike other stockbrokers, the Zerodha interface is clean and minimalistic. Obviously, their brokerage plans are also very reasonable. So, I finally decided to open my first demat account with Zerodha. Now let us see top 3 disount brokers of 2021.

1. Zerodha

Zerodha is India’s largest discount broker with over 50 lakh clients. They contribute around 15% of total retail volumes. Varsity is the zerodha education portal that covers various topics of stock markets. In our list of top 3 discount brokers, Zerodha takes the first place. If you are just about to start your investing or trading career, do not forget to read zerodha varsity.

Pros

• Self-clearing broker, which implies they don’t charge consumers for clearing fees.
• Zerodha Varsity has gained a reputation for providing free stock market training and financial education.
• The delivery of equities is completely free.
• It is now a well-known brand that offers exceptional customer service.

Cons

• There is no market research report or advice.
• Charges apply to calls and trades.
• Sometimes their platforms go through technical glitches. This is one of the majors I faced personally.

2. Upstox

Upstox is among the largest discount brokers of India. Currently, upstox has more than 40 lakhs clients. Like Zerodha, Upstox also offers elegant and clean platforms for investing and trading. Click here to open your demat and trading account with Upstox. Using upstox platform, investors can invest in stocks, mutual funds, digital gold, IPOs. Upstox brokerage plans mostly match with Zerodha. They offer FREE brokerage on stock investments. When coming to intraday, they charge Rs. 20/- per order. If we compare upstox with full service brokers, we can say that upstox brokerage fee is very less.

Pros

• The delivery of equities is completely free.
• Demat A/c opening fee is minimum, and maintenance costs are modest.
• Numerous technical indicators make trading simple.
• Mr Ratan Tata’s support lends credibility to the project.

Cons

• There are no research reports or trade calls available.
• Charges apply to calls and trades.

3. 5Paisa

With two decades of experience in the full-service broking market, IIFL entered the discount broking segment to offer a low brokerage platform to its clients and to compete with the fast-growing discount broking industry. Yes, IIFl is the promoter of 5 Paisa. They offer 0% brokerage and also offer commission-free mutual fund investments. They provide omnichannel support and offer real-time portfolio analytics.

Pros

• Trading with no delivery charges.
• A low brokerage of Rs 10 per trade is available (applicable only on premium plans).
• In the brokerage industry, IIFL has decades of experience.
• Low-cost maintenance

Cons

• There is no such thing as a three-in-one account.
• Charges for calls and trades are exorbitant.
• In the basic plans, there are no free research reports.

Conclusion

Thanks to discount brokers, after they entered into Indian stock market, many traders and investors got relief from high brokerages. Discount brokers completely changed the shape of the Indian stockbroking industry. Check out Bank Nifty Expiry Day Strategy with 71% Success Probability. Also consider read our Value vs Growth Investing 101: The Essential Guide

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