Zerodha
India's largest stockbroker by client base
4.6/ 5
Best for: Cost-conscious DIY investors who mainly buy-and-hold stocks or trade F&O occasionally.
Compare Zerodha with others →Broker review
Alice Blue review
Veteran flat-fee pick with genuinely free APIs
4.0/ 5
- Since 2006
- Delivery ₹20 or 2.5% per order
- AMC ₹0 lifetime
Open an account with Alice BlueCompare Alice Blue →SEBI INZ000156038 | Member: NSE, BSE, MCX | DP: CDSL
Reviewed by LetsInvest Research DeskUpdated 14 Sept 2026Pricing verified 14 Sept 2026How we test
Fees & pricing4.3
Trading platforms4.0
Customer support3.7
Research & education3.0
Ease of opening4.0
Overview
Long-standing discount broker with lifetime zero AMC, ₹20-flat brokerage capped by percentage, free APIs and a TradingView-integrated ANT stack aimed at F&O and algo traders.
Best for: F&O and algo traders wanting cheap flat brokerage with free APIs.
Pros & cons
What we like
- Lifetime ₹0 AMC plus ₹0 opening and MF brokerage
- Free APIs plus TradingView for algo and F&O
- No inactivity, transfer or tracking fees
Watch out for
- Flat ₹20 with no zero-delivery leg
- DP and bracket-order extras
- IPO and US coverage need confirmation
Fees & charges
Account charges
- Account openingOne-time charge to open your demat + trading account. Many discount brokers have made this free.
- ₹0 (free)✓ Verified 14/9/2026
- Annual maintenance (AMC)Yearly demat maintenance, charged by the broker (separate from CDSL/NSDL custodian fees). Often free for the first year.
- ₹0 lifetime✓ Verified 14/9/2026
Equity
- Equity deliveryBrokerage when you buy shares and hold them overnight or longer. This is the charge long-term investors should minimise.
- ₹20 or 2.5% per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
- IntradayBrokerage on same-day buy-sell trades. Percentage caps (e.g. 0.03%) protect small orders from the flat fee.
- ₹20 or 0.05% per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
- DP charge (sell)Charged when shares leave your demat on a sell (delivery). Goes mostly to the depository, not the broker.
- ₹15 + GST per sell✓ Verified 14/9/2026
Derivatives (F&O)
- OptionsPer-order charge for options buying/selling. Excludes STT, exchange and SEBI charges, which apply equally everywhere.
- ₹20 per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
- FuturesPer-order charge for futures trades. Same statutory extras as options apply on top.
- ₹20 per order✓ Verified 14/9/2026
Sources: official broker pricing pages. Figures marked “Confirming” are being re-verified — always confirm before trading.
What you can invest in
- Stocks (delivery)
- ✓ Yes
- Intraday
- ✓ Yes
- Futures & options
- ✓ Yes
- Mutual funds
- ✓ Yes
- IPO
- —
- US stocks
- —
- Trading APIFree SmartAPI access
- ✓ Yes
Platforms & features
platforms
- Mobile app✓ · ANT Mobi (Android + iOS)
- Web platform✓ · ANT Web
trading
- Charting✓ · TradingView integration
- Trading API✓ · Free SmartAPI access
research
- Research & advisory—
Support & company
Customer support
Support channels not yet listed — check the broker's contact page.
Company facts
- Founded
- 2006
- Regulation
- SEBI INZ000156038 | Member: NSE, BSE, MCX | DP: CDSL
Veteran flat-fee pick; investors should weigh the ₹20 delivery ticket against zero-delivery rivals.
How to open a Alice Blue account
Start your application
Open the Alice Blue signup with your mobile number and email — it takes about 10 minutes.
Complete e-KYC
Verify with PAN, Aadhaar-based OTP, a live selfie and your bank proof (cancelled cheque or statement).
E-sign documents
Digitally sign the account-opening form and nomination details via Aadhaar e-sign.
Get your client ID
Activation usually takes 24–48 hours. Your login credentials arrive by email and SMS.
Alternatives to Alice Blue
Groww
Beginner-friendly investing super-app
4.5/ 5
Best for: Beginners and mutual-fund investors who want one simple app for everything.
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Upstox
Low-cost broker with fast trading tools
4.3/ 5
Best for: Mobile-first traders and developers who use trading APIs.
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How we research. Every fee on this site carries a source and a verification date. Data is re-checked against official broker pages; read our editorial methodology. LetsInvest is a research publication, not a financial adviser — see our terms.